An interventional study of Standard Exercise Training and Phoenix Exoskeleton suit in Multiple Sclerosis, Pathologic Processes and Sclerosis, sponsored by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Completed at 1 site in United Kingdom. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-19.
Sponsored by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Lack of physical activity is common in people with MS (pwMS). This can lead to several comorbid conditions such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, osteoporosis, hypertension, diabetes and worse prognosis. An increasing number of studies suggest that physical exercise can play an important role in managing symptoms, preventing complications and comorbidities in pwMS, and may possibly be neuroprotective. However, doing exercise can be very challenging for pwMS who have moderate/severe mobility disability and who have problems with walking.
In this project, the investigators will explore the use of a powered Exoskeleton as an exercise tool for people with moderate to severe difficulty walking due to MS. Powered Exoskeletons are wearable robots that offer opportunity to persons with lower limb weakness to stand and walk. The Exoskeleton-assisted training provides active training with potentially much less intervention needed from therapists. However, it is not clear whether pwMS can walk with a powered Exoskeleton at speeds and intensities sufficient to positively affect health and fitness outcomes. Thus, in this study, the investigators aim to explore whether using an Exoskeleton will enable people with MS to exercise at a moderate intensity and whether people with MS find this acceptable and safe to do on a regular basis. The investigators will also explore whether training with an Exoskeleton can improve walking. The investigators will train 12 patients with MS to walk with an Exoskeleton twice a week for 8 weeks. The investigators will compare the effects with another group of 12 patients who will do exercises with a fitness instructor twice a week for 8 weeks. The investigators will study whether walking with Exoskeleton is better than fitness training in terms of fitness outcomes, walking and cognitive, psychological factors.
3,264 studies on the registry are indexed under Multiple Sclerosis; 659 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 24 is below the median of 50 across 2,201 interventional studies indexed under Multiple Sclerosis.
Browse Multiple Sclerosis studies →Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the lead sponsor of 214 studies on the registry; 27 are open to participants now.
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Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants will receive interventions by an exercise specialist based on the participant's tolerance. These sessions will be delivered by a exercise specialist.
Behavioral: Standard Exercise Training
The Phoenix Exoskeleton suit will be used in this study. It is a powered Exoskeleton, with a modular design. Participants will receive interventions by an research physiotherapist based on the participant's tolerance.
Device: Phoenix Exoskeleton suit
Participants will receive interventions by an exercise specialist for up to 30 minutes based on the participant's tolerance. The exercises used in control group will depend on the individual and their abilities as evaluated in the baseline assessment session. Possible exercises include arm crank, recumbent cycle, and chair exercises. These sessions will be delivered by a member of the research team.
Participants will aim to walk wearing the Exoskeleton for up to 30 minutes. Based on the participant's tolerance, the duration of walking can be shorter and can be split into shorter intervals to achieve more activity. Over the sessions, based on the participants' tolerance, gradually the duration of walking can be increased with shorter breaks. This will be delivered by a research physiotherapist.
Recruitment rate estimation
The research team will identify the number of potential participants who responded to our initial recruitment strategies and the proportion who remain interested after being informed of the requirements of the study. Feasibility will be classed as 60% or more of eligible participants consenting to the trial.
Time frame: One day
Retention rate estimation
Adherence will be measured through attendance at the Exoskeleton and exercise sessions and compliance to the protocol. Feasibility will be classed as 75% of the recruited participants completing 12 or more of the 16 intervention sessions (not including the familiarisation sessions). Patient Participation will be assessed by the research physiotherapist and exercise therapist using the Pittsburg Participation Questionnaire.
Time frame: 8 weeks
Acceptability of the intervention - VAS
Data from participant's visual analogue scale of patient discomfort will be used to determine acceptability. Feasibility will be defined as less than 1/3 of participants reporting moderate or greater discomfort on the visual analogue scale. Throughout the study, participants asked to score discomfort experienced on VAS scale 0-10 where 0=no discomfort and 10=intolerable.
Time frame: 8 weeks
Acceptability of the intervention - Patient perception questionnaire
A patient perception questionnaire will be used to gather more in-depth qualitative data about acceptability. This will give us insight into the acceptability of the type of exercise and any benefits that have been derived, helping us to take the project forward in the future and design an intervention that fits with the requirements of this population group.
Time frame: 8 weeks
Number of participants achieving target heart rate
Heart rate will be monitored throughout the intervention sessions. This will be used to explore the level of exercise stimulation achieved through powered exoskeleton walking compared to exercise training.
Time frame: 8 weeks
Aerobic Fitness (arm cranking)
To be completed at baseline and follow up. This will be used to explore the level of exercise stimulation achieved through powered exoskeleton walking compared to exercise training.
Time frame: 8 weeks
Waist to hip ratio
Waist to hip ratio measurement is calculated by dividing the measurement of the waist by the hip measurement. To be completed at baseline and follow up.
Time frame: 8 weeks
Body fat percentages
Body fat percentage, measures a person's relative body composition without regard to height or weight. To be completed at baseline and follow up.
Time frame: 8 weeks
10 metre walking gait test wearing inertial sensors
This will only be completed in participants that are able to walk minimum of 2 metres with or without assistance. To be completed at baseline and follow up. To assess the effect of Exoskeleton and exercise training on gait.
Time frame: 8 weeks
Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29)
Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29) used to capture views about the impact of MS on participants day-to-day life during the past two weeks. To be completed at baseline and follow up to assess the impact of Exoskeleton and exercise training on MS related symptoms and quality of life. MSIS-29 provides a score between 29-145 where larger scores indicate that MS has a greater impact on day-to-day life for the participant.
Time frame: 8 weeks
Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS)
Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) will be used to assess how fatigue impacts individuals lives in the past 4 weeks. To be completed at baseline and follow up to assess the impact of Exoskeleton and exercise training on MS related symptoms and quality of life.. Scores range between 0-84 where larger scores indicate greater impact of fatigue on daily life.
Time frame: 8 weeks
Multiple Sclerosis walking scale (MSWS-12)
Multiple Sclerosis walking scale (MSWS-12) used to capture a self-reported measure of the impact of MS on the individual's walking ability in the past 2 weeks. To be completed at baseline and follow up to assess the impact of Exoskeleton and exercise training on MS related symptoms and quality of life. Scores range between 12-60 where larger scores indicate greater impact of MS on walking activities.
Time frame: 8 weeks
The Borg rating of perceived exertion scale
Participant's will be asked to rate physical activity intensity level throughout the study. Borg RPE scale will be used, 6-20 where 6 = no effort at all and 20= absolute maximal effort. This will be used to explore the level of exercise stimulation achieved through powered Exoskeleton walking compared to exercise training.
Time frame: 8 weeks
Quality of life questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L & VAS)
EuroQol quality of life questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) will be used to capture views about the participants quality of life within 24hours in 5 themes. Using the VAS scores, participants will rate their quality of life between 100 = the best health you can imagine and 0 = the worst health you can imagine. To be completed at baseline and follow up. This will be used to assess the impact of Exoskeleton and exercise training on quality of life.
Time frame: 8 weeks
Ran from Jun 2022 to primary completion in Oct 2024, 28 months.
Of 847 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Multiple Sclerosis, half reached primary completion within 22 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 8 and three quarters within 43. This study's 28 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 869 studies reached it within 21 months; a quarter within 9 and three quarters within 43.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is completed, as verified in May 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust →